Kids inside stolen day care SUV found safe; Amber Alert canceled

Authorities have canceled an Amber Alert after they safely located the five children who were inside a day care SUV when it was stolen in southwest Houston

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

HOUSTON --

Authorities have canceled an Amber Alert after they safely located the five children who were inside a day care SUV when it was stolen in southwest Houston.

The Houston Police Department issued the alert after the SUV was stolen around 6:15pm Wednesday from a Jack in the Box in the 8600 block of West Bellfort. Police say its driver went inside the restaurant, left the children behind and kept the vehicle running. That's when a man jumped into the driver's seat and took off.

Around 9:15pm, authorities spotted the vehicle in the Katy area. The suspect gave chase for about 90 seconds before he pulled over near Cinco Ranch Boulevard and Mason Road.

The suspect was arrested and the children -- identified as three-year-old Paris Shaner, Kendalyn Sterling, 4, Stevie Nicholson, 7, Alexander Veasley, 9, and 11-year-old Christian Batiste -- were found unharmed.

"Emergency medical services have checked them out and they're all in fine condition," said Mike Miller with HPD Homicide.

The children were taken to the HPD headquarters in downtown to be reunited with their families.

"I humble myself that my daughter's OK, he answered my prayers. And I thank you so much for putting out those Amber Alerts to get my baby back home," said Sonya Mims, the mother of one of the children.

Meanwhile, the driver of the SUV also was taken there to be questioned by police; she doesn't face any charges yet.

The suspect has been described only as a curly-haired Hispanic male wearing glasses and a blue shirt. Witnesses say he might be homeless. He now faces charges of auto theft and kidnapping.

The stolen GMC Acadia belongs JTD Transportation and was being used to drive around children from a day care, which has not yet been named.